Pelargonium plant named ‘Fipelpopnepi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Fipelpopnepi’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; rounded plant habit; relatively small dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; single bright red purple-colored flowers with red-colored central spots; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIPELPOPNEPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, commercially referred to as Zonal Geranium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fipelpopnepi’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-flowering Pelargonium plants that flower early and have attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2007 in De Lier, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 60002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 88881, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Pelargonium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands, in April, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands, since July, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Pelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fipelpopnepi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fipelpopnepi’ as a new and distinct Pelargonium plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit;         rounded plant habit.     -   2. Relatively small dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Single bright red purple-colored flowers with red-colored         central spots.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Pelargonium have brighter-colored flowers than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Pelargonium have smaller leaves than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants of Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Fisum Rose Eye’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,425. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Pelargonium differed primarily from plants of ‘Fisum Rose Eye’ in flower color. In addition, plants of the new Pelargonium flowered earlier than plants of ‘Fisum Rose Eye’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Pelargonium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Fipelpopnepi’ grown in a six-pack container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 9-cm six-pack containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Pelargonium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 18° C. Plants were eight weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Fipelpopnepi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 60002, not             patented         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 88881, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures of 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures of 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days             at temperatures of 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; greyed white             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly             spreading growth habit; rounded and uniformly mounded plant             habit; densely foliated; about two basal branches developing             per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 10 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 15 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 0.5 cm to 2 cm.             Texture: Pubescent. Strength: Moderately strong. Color:             Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 7 cm.         -   Shape.—Reniform.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent; pubescence more dense             along venation.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to N137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146C. Zonation pattern: Very             faint. Location: Center of the leaf. Color: Darker than             147A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils;             umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles;             flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 43             flowers develop per umbel and about five umbels develop per             plant.         -   Flowering season.—In The Netherlands, flowering is             continuous from late spring until frost in the autumn; early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about six to eight             weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Depending on environmental conditions,             individual flowers last about 2 to 14 days on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm by 4.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Globular to elliptical. Color: Close to 146B; towards             the base, close to 60B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About             2.5 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Spatulate to obovate.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Brighter than             N74A; central spot, close to 45A; towards the base, close to             155D; venation, close to N74A; color does not fade with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 71D; color does not fade with development.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: Typically none, or if             present usually only one. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About             1 cm. Shape: Irregularly shaped or obovate to irregularly             oblanceolate. Apex: Irregular. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Brighter than N74A; central spot, close to 45A;             towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to N74A;             color does not fade with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 71D; color does not fade             with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate/ovate to acicular. Apex: Acute. Base: Lobate to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146B; towards the margins, close to 60B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect to about 30° C. from             vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.8 cm to             3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Angle: Erect to about 60° C. from vertical. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About eight. Filament length: About 3 mm to 8 mm. Filament             color: Close to 155D. Anther length: About 2 mm to 3 mm.             Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 39A. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 33B. Gynoecium:             Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm.             Stigma shape: Tapering; reflexed. Stigma color: Close to             60A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 70C.             Ovary color: Close to 146C.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Pelargonium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Pelargoniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been observed     to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to     about 45° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named ‘Fipelpopnepi’ as illustrated and described. 